OHAKUNE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 252, 23 October 1937, Page 15

OHAKUNE

OHAKUNE BOROUGH COUNCIL EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY At the last meeting of the Ohakune Borough Council the following communication was received from the District Health Officer (Mr. W. H. Roy) Following your recent advice “that during spells of dry weather, the fire engine is used to pump water from streams in the borough for the purpose of filling rain-water tanks at dwellings faced with a shortage of water, and that such water is pumped from any stream within the borough,” I wish to advise that this matter was dealt with by Inspector Swain in 1932 following an outbreak of typhoid fever in your borough. Investigations made at that time showed that the most probable sources of pollution were bathing in, or drinking the water of the Mangawhero or Mangateitei streams.

Chemical and bacteriological samples of water from both the above streams were forwarded to the Dominion analyst, as were samples from the intake to the fluming supplying the hydro-electric station, which though taken from the Mangawhero stream, is above any sources of pot Lon. The water in the fluming to the hydroelectric station proved to be the only satisfactory supply for domestic purposes (others proving unsatisfactory). Stream pollution investigations recently undertaken by me in your borough, prove that conditions at present are similar to those of 1932, and you may recall that I was recently successful in having the drainage from one dwelling at the railway station, which discharged into the Mangawhero, otherwise disposed of. I must therefore advise you that the only satisfactory water supply for domestic use is that from the 2-inch gate valve adjacent to the hydroelectric station, the fluming to the station, of water drawn from the Mangawhreo stream, above the fluming intake only.

I trust that you will bring this matter before your council with the request that the fire brigade authorities be notified, and that the general public be advised also. The Town Clerk was instructed to inform the Ohakune Fire Brigade of the text of the above communication.